Bed bugs can infest beds and feed on human blood while victims are asleep.
Bed bugs are tiny insects that feed on blood. It's generally assumed that bed bugs can only live in unsanitary places, but bed bugs are increasingly found in cleaned hotels, apartments and homes. They can hitch a ride on bedding, clothing, luggage and furniture, and can be transported from one place to another without your knowledge. Typically they infest beds, and bite sleeping victims. These bites can be painfully itchy and sometimes even cause infection. However, there are several ways to speed recovery from a bed bug bite.
Instructions
1. Identify the bites as bed bug bites. They can occur anywhere on the body, but are most common on parts of the body that are exposed during the night, such as the face, neck and arms. Bed bug bites are typically painless, but are nevertheless itchy, red and swollen. If you've had bed bugs in your bed, you may observe drops of blood on your mattress, or an offensive smell. A doctor can identify bed bug bites for you, if you're unsure.
2. Wash the bites with soap and water.
3. Apply a disinfectant, such as rubbing alcohol or benzoyl peroxide, by dabbing the substance onto the bites with a cotton ball. This will help prevent infection.
4. Apply an anti-itch cream with hydrocortisone to the bites. Try to find a cream that includes aloe, which will also soothe the skin.
5. Make a soothing paste out of baking soda and water. Mix the baking soda with some lukewarm water until the paste is thick enough to apply to the skin without dripping. Leave the paste on the bites until it's completely dry, wash the skin gently, and pat dry. If this doesn't work the first time, you can try leaving the paste on the skin for an hour or more after it dries, to increase effectiveness.
6. Take an oral antihistamine to reduce the allergic reaction caused by the bites. An antihistamine may cause drowsiness, so avoid taking it during the day unless you know already how your body reacts to the medicine.
7. Rid your home of the bed bugs. Ultimately, treating bites will be useless if you're bitten every night. Diatomaceous Earth is chemical-free and kills insects by dehydrating them. Purchase a bag at a pet food store or garden store, and sprinkle it under your mattress, along baseboards in your home, on the bed frame, under furniture and anywhere else you think bed bugs might reside. Wash all of your linens and put them in a hot dryer for at least 20 minutes. If you live in a hot climate, bring the mattress outside to warm in the sun; the heat will kill the bed bugs. If you're unable to remove the bed bugs yourself, contact a professional pest control company.
Tags: baking soda, bites with, infest beds, your home, your mattress